Migori County staff no‑shows for headcount, audit extended

Migori County Extends Headcount as Ghost Worker Audit Continues
Migori County government has extended the deadline for a payroll headcount to allow over 200 staff members who missed the initial exercise to clear their names amid an ongoing audit targeting ghost workers.
County Public Service Executive Caleb Opondi stated that the extension was granted after a week-long headcount ended on December 23, 2022, with about 3,000 workers present. Those absent cited reasons including leave, sickness, or lack of awareness about the exercise.
The exercise aims to weed out ghost workers and verify the employment of county staff. It involves checking letters of appointment, promotion and deployment documents, identification cards, passports, birth certificates, and academic papers. Certificates are being cross-verified with the Kenya National Examination Council and tertiary institutions.
Governor Ochillo Ayacko, who took office in August 2022, has prioritized payroll cleanup, revealing that the county lost Sh60 million to ghost workers occupying unbudgeted or nonexistent posts. An audit by the Institute of Human Resource Management found 607 ghost workers on the county payroll, with monthly discrepancies ranging from Sh120 million to over Sh200 million.
Opondi confirmed that the verification process may take up to two more months, after which culprits will face legal action. The one-day extension on January 6 is intended to ensure fair hearing for those who missed the initial count.